“Sure, it was no big deal.”
Was Valerie trying to pretend it didn’t bother her, or did it really not? Not for the first time, he wished people came with little emotional signals, like the lights on a car, to guide him.
“Roger called her out after you left and she said she felt bad.”
“No doubt.” Then she shrugged. “I’m sure she didn’t mean it the way it sounded.”
Nico was sure she did, but he let this go. “If you want to join, we’ll be partners, but you don’t have to.”
“I want to play,” she said. “This is the only time they’ve all been together since that first dinner. It’s perfect for recon. Sorry, but you’re stuck with me.” Valerie reached out to give Nico’s arm a quick squeeze. He was grateful she didn’t put in that latent finger power.
She didn’t seem upset Nico had lied about being with her last night, which was a relief. Still, he wanted to make sure she knew it wasn’t her, but the situation. “Earlier, when I was talking about where I was this morning—” he said.
Valerie didn’t let him finish. “God, good save. Penny told me to watch out for you, can you believe it? She warned me about summer romances with staff.”
“She what?” He shouldn’t be surprised, though. Penny liked to think she had influence over everyone in her sphere.
“I know! Some nerve, although it’s kind of funny since I’m also staff but she doesn’t know it. What we do is none of her business, but at the same time, we don’t need to deal with anyone’s judgment.” He nodded, gratified they agreed there was something between them to keep private. Her phone dinged and she checked it. “Weird. Ruth says someone asked about my employment history.”
“Who?”
“Ben from the Larrow Agency. He was looking for someone with my skill set.”
“Did you apply for a job?”
“No.” She looked up from her phone. “There’s no Larrow, but there is a Harrow Agency. Ruth might have misheard.”
“Maybe it’s a potential Ad Astra client.”
She snorted. “I sincerely doubt it.”
Jenn poked her head around the door. “Are you coming? Penny wants to know what’s taking so long.”
Nico took the tray and carried it out. People milled around collecting snacks and drinks before surrounding the table with good-natured insults and threats. David’s competitive side appeared when Roger bought St. James Place after David himself bought Tennessee Avenue and New York Avenue.
“You asshole,” exclaimed David. “I’ll trade you.”
“For what, Baltic? Get ready to lose.” Roger was ecstatic.
The game seemed to have resurfaced a series of long-held petty animosities that Nico recognized from his own life. No one held a grudge like an adult who remembered a sibling hoarding the bestsnacks and inching onto one’s own side of the car during a road trip decades ago.
“David, your money is a mess,” said Penny as David pawed through the disordered pile of bills and property cards. “You should sort them out properly, like mine.” She reached out and David slapped his hands down to protect his cards.
“I like it this way,” he said.
“You should be more like Nico,” said Penny as Nico counted out his money from where he’d tucked it neatly under the board in order by denomination. “He’s so serious. Roger, you need to teach him to have fun.”
Valerie leaned into him, heavy against his side. “Nico is a lot of fun,” she defended. Nico caught Penny’s raised eyebrow when she saw Valerie stayed close but he couldn’t bring himself to move away. “He taught me to canoe.”
“It was oar-some,” said Roger.
“No one thinks your jokes are funny,” said David as Penny laughed.
“Sure they do,” said Roger. “You’re jealous you can’t think of them first because you’ve got the same sense of humor as Dad. None.”
“Roger’s right, David, you’re turning into a bitter old man,” said Penny. “I’m going to see you shaking your fist at the sky one day. Good Lord, what’s this?” She picked up the jar Valerie had added to the snack tray.
“Pickled asparagus,” said Valerie. “I thought it looked cool.”
